Medusa
by Radith
Summary: A retelling of the Greek myth of Medusa from her perspective. Only one chapter. Constructive critisism is greatly appreciated. Mild angst.


Medusa  
  
The red sun rose early, as did I. It rose to bring life to the world, to bring light. It was a means of survival, that glorious sun. My intentions were somewhat different. To set pace with the sun was my survival. Lingering in one place meant death, if not for me, than it was for those who were unlucky enough to cross my path. As for comparing me to the sun as glorious, oh it would draw forth many a bitter smile. My mere presence invited fear, as my quiet gaze alone came with an eternity of imprisonment. I am cursed, for all of my mortal life, to wander the coast of my homeland and remain in solitude a terrible monster. I will not say that I deserve this curse that Athena, the goddess of wisdom herself has placed upon me. I wasn't always like this.  
I used to live in a small village. Every morning the sweet melodious ring of a bell would sound over the gentle hills of my home. Yes, I had a home once, and family. It was a small, beautiful little place. It was a place that even now I retreat to for comfort, though only in my mind. I had three sisters and four brothers, all of which were older, and now all long gone. And I also used to have friends, many friends. We would play along the beach after our chores. Ma never gave me much to do besides to sweep the dead leaves and to help my sisters in the garden. "My little wild stallion," she would always call me when I finished my daily chores. I was her favorite.  
As I grew older, I became more and more beautiful. The village lads started to notice me, and would accompany me each morning to buy our day's fresh vegetables from the agora. If there ever was one thing that set me apart from the other maidens, it was my hair. I wasn't known by everyone, but I was liked by those that did. How different it was, now that I think of it. Now, in the harsh present, I am known by all, and hated. Thought as I entered my twenties, my father took to illness, and Ma was left to care for me and my brothers and sisters. We didn't have enough money to pay for medicine, for the doctors of Athens demanded much that we lacked. My eldest brother was to sell himself to one the doctors who had offered the least amount of money for my father's medicine; it was his duty as a son, but he fled the night before he was to go. I offered to sell myself in his place. I was still young, and I could work.  
Though even with the medicine and care that the good doctor gave my father, he left us not even weeks later.  
The doctor was fair, and I was set free to go back to my family. I was changed. I had taken to doing things on the spur of the moment. There was no dare from my brothers that was left without being fulfilled, and there was nothing I was scared of. I put myself through many torments that came as blessings to me, all the while hiding behind a mask of bravery. I was invincible, and I was broken. All of a sudden after my father's death, my trips to the sea grew more frequent. I no longer cared for my own safety, nor did I care any more for how others saw me. I would run along the waters with the sand washing through my toes. It took my mind off of our family troubles. Day after day at sunset I could be found in the sea itself, swimming as far as I dared with the salty sweet seawater mixing with my grief filled tears. Maybe I just didn't want to see it, or maybe I was too naive to do so. The golden days were never to return. The appearance of Athena proved just that. Perhaps to see me put myself in such danger from my brother's dares and own folly and not acquire even a scratch had finally pulled her last nerve. It was the day of harvest that my life ended. As usual, I got up early and set to the fields to see my brothers, and maybe help in gathering the crops. By then, my hair was a curtain of elegant curls, the only thing that set me apart. In a way, I suppose that my entire life depended on my hair. I was a part of a poor family, and a good marriage was the only way that we may somehow rise in society. I headed towards a wide village well to get a drink of water before the long day ahead. To my surprise as I looked into the surface, I saw no reflection. Out of shock, I leaned closer to the edge, and I had my face just above the surface with my nose almost touching the water. Panic welled up inside of me as I blinked once, twice. Ripples slowly broke the still surface of the well, but I was sure that nothing had disturbed the water. An image finally appeared, but it was not me. It couldn't have been me. Sure, it was my face, but there was such a difference. It was a grown woman, clad for war, with a malicious glint in her eyes. "Girl," she had said in an eerie, mocking voice. "Do you know me?" I knew her, alright. She was me, and I told her so. A cruel laugh produced from her mouth. "Yes, I am you, yet I am not. You foolish girl, do you regret all you have done to put yourself in danger? Do you truly believe that you could not possibly die?" I realized who she really was. There was no mistaking her for me. She was Athena, the goddess of wisdom, the goddess of war, and I found myself unafraid. I knew she was here to punish me, but what could she do to make my life even more miserable? Even now I could slap myself for being so dense. Athena took one look at me and I could tell that she knew what I was thinking; I instantly regretted it. "Child, there are many things that I could do to you if you anger me, many things." I was afraid then, but I didn't want to show it. With a stubborn insolence, I said, "Well, let's hear them. Let us see what the great Athena is capable of." I twirled a lock of my hair on my finger, and I saw Athena, staring at that lock of hair. I grew uncomfortable and I unwound the hair from my finger, sliding it behind my ear. Athena turned back to me with a sly smile curling around her lips. I raised my head to show that I was anticipating what she was going to do without fear, despite my hands, which were dripping with sweat. I hid them behind my back, but I knew that I could not fool the goddess of wisdom. Her smile turned up at he corners of her lips and she broke out in a mocking laugh. I waited patiently for her to stop while my bones rang with a taunting, piercing feeling. Setting dignity to the side, I covered my ears and knelt the ground, unable to take that wicked laugh. It didn't help. The sound was entering my soul form a different way than my ears. I let go just for a second, and just long enough to hear Athena say her last words before she disappeared from the well. "You have beautiful hair, Medusa..." That was it, that little piece of my past had tortured me for years, trying to break my spirit as if it wasn't already broken. That day had changed my entire life. I had crawled to the edge of the well as soon as the ringing vanished. It had taken a lot out of me and I demanded tot know why Athena hated me so, for I would not believe that my impertinence itself got me that beating. As I looked into the well for Athena's image, I received a glance at something else. No, it was not Athena, it couldn't have been; it was a monster. That was the first and final look that I got of myself as Medusa, the gorgon. I spent that entire day and night by the well, hugging my knees to my chest and reliving every moment of what had happened to me. My family had gotten worried and had come looking for me. I could not go see them in the state that I was in, so I hid. Mother had come herself. She was carrying a torch that illuminated her once beautiful face, now contorted with too many hardships. I stayed where I was, though I wanted so badly to run into her arms and tell her all about Athena. I still couldn't forgive myself for what I had done to Ma. I fled that night, away from my home, away from Athens. I left behind my brothers and sisters out in the night calling my name, and my father's grave. I left the doctor who was so kind to me, and had set me free. But there was one thing that I just couldn't lose; my mother, and I had turned her to stone. She was unfortunate enough to have wandered so close to my hiding place that the light of her torch fell across my face before I could move, and she saw me as I am today. I was horrid. My face bore too much evil in it for her fragile eyes to see. My hair was a mass tangle of live snakes, leering at each other and her. She had instantly died; my first victim. From that day on I had avoided humanity. I did not want to kill, but I was a monster, and evil reigned over my mind. If a mortal ever directly looked at me, they would instantly be turned to stone. I can not control it. For fear of endangering my family, I never returned. We never had as much money as we would have liked, and sometimes I wondered if my brothers and sisters would be able to find good partners, or they would surely die. So this is how I live, wandering the outskirts of Athens while never going home. I try to survive the present but I live only to dwell in my past. I have found three gorgon sisters and I sometimes live with them with when I desired company. Our land was filled with stone statues. They were once men; heroes. They do not know me, yet they strive to kill me. Whenever I see a mortal, my blood runs cold and I want to kill. I want to see blood. I have stayed alive for years, defeating every hero who had dared to try and take my life, the life of one they thought that they knew as a gorgon. Yes, they know me as a monster, but they do not know me as a maiden. Every transformation of an innocent into stone takes a drop of energy out of me, and I know that I can't keep on much longer. The villagers whisper of a champion, Athena's champion. He will be here one of these days, on a heroic quest to slay me as so many have tried before. I praise the mortal who shall kill me. I wish him good fortune. 


End file.
